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Edmonds School District highlights peer mediation program expanded to 11 schools with VOA training
Summary
District staff and partners presented an expanded peer mediation program now operating in 11 schools; Volunteers of America provides no-cost mediation training and pledged scholarships and community-college credit opportunities for student mediators.
Assistant Superintendent Greg Schwab introduced the district’s peer mediation program and said the initiative — launched in some high schools earlier — expanded this school year to 11 schools across the district (including middle and high schools).
Wally Webster (program lead) and Rick Chuntrapin of the Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center described an eight-stage mediation training that trains students to serve as neutral third parties in peer conflicts. Chuntrapin said the VOA partnership provides training, mediator documents, advisor check-ins and debriefs “at no cost to the district.” He also said VOA will offer scholarships for students who pursue certification and has arranged a credit pathway with Everett Community College for 15 credits tied to mediation certification work.
Student mediators from Lindwood/Linwood High School — Sage Purcell and Cameron Clark — told the board they use mediation to repair friendships and prevent disciplinary outcomes. “During our mediations, we’re really saving friendships, and we’re preventing people from going through the disciplinary process,” Sage said. Cameron said the training helps participants “understand the other person's perspective” and that mediators often help peers reach their own agreements without invoking formal discipline.
School leaders and board members praised the program for improving school culture, reducing fights and offering students life skills. Board members asked about sustainability as mediators graduate; VOA and district staff said they plan start-of-year and mid-year training sessions, student-to-student recruitment, and incentives for continuing mediators (details to be returned to the board at a later meeting).
Provenance: topicintro: SEG 673 (Greg Schwab introduces the program); topfinish: SEG 1176 (closing of the peer mediation discussion and praise from the board).
